Poor state of English and Welsh courts worsening backlog, says Law Society

Survey identifies slew of problems, with half of lawyers experiencing cases being adjourned because of disrepair

Broken heating, sewage, mould, asbestos and leaking toilets and roofs are among the problems encountered by solicitors in courts in England and Wales, a survey by the Law Society has found.

Approximately two-thirds of respondents said they had experienced delays in cases being heard in the last year owing to the physical state of the courts, with their professional body warning that it is contributing to the large backlog.